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New prostate cancer drugs bring cost of care into spotlight

Meanwhile, results from a three-decade Swedish study found that women who have mammograms have a lower death rate from breast cancer — a finding that some say may ease recent controversies around the screening procedure.

29 Jun 2011

FamilyCord launches advanced cord tissue stem cell processing and storage

FamilyCord, one of the nation's leading cord blood banks, today announced their latest contribution to the advancement of the umbilical cord blood and tissue storage industry: CordTissuePlus.

29 Jun 2011

More than 10M people affected by drought in East Africa, U.N. says

More than 10 million people in the Horn of Africa "are affected by the drought in one way or other," Elisabeth Byrs, spokesperson for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said on Tuesday, Agence France-Presse reports.

29 Jun 2011

Anti-fraud activities shift to Medicare, mortgage lending; Others less likely to face prosecution

The drop in criminal prosecutions indicates a shift for federal law enforcement agencies, which have increasingly targeted schemes aimed at mortgage lending, financial institutions and Medicare, the government [health] insurance plan for the elderly.

29 Jun 2011

Mount Sinai gene therapy improves cardiac function in people with severe heart failure

Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found in a Phase II trial that a gene therapy developed at Mount Sinai stabilized or improved cardiac function in people with severe heart failure. Patients receiving a high dose of the therapy, called SERCA2a, experienced substantial clinical benefit and significantly reduced cardiovascular hospitalizations, addressing a critical unmet need in this population.

29 Jun 2011

GAO reports on government response to H1N1 pandemic

GAO on Monday published two reports on the government's response to the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic.

29 Jun 2011

Planned Parenthood asks court to restore funding in Kansas

The group turns to a federal district court as it seeks to have a new Kansas budget provision overturned.

29 Jun 2011

Medtronic launches mobile application for implantable cardiac devices

Medtronic, Inc. today announced the launch of Medtronic's first mobile application for use with implantable cardiac devices. As health care shifts care delivery from outpatient to home, Medtronic is leading the implantable cardiac device industry by offering cutting-edge technology designed to give physicians greater flexibility in monitoring patient data.

From Medtronic 29 Jun 2011

Shah talks about public-private partnerships

A post on "PharmaTech Talk" highlights comments made by USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah at the Partnerships for Global Health Forum, an annual event which is sponsored by BIO and BioVentures for Global Health.

29 Jun 2011

France 24's Health program examines challenges to fighting malaria in Madagascar

France 24's video program Health examines challenges to fighting malaria in Madagascar, where some people who cannot afford newer artemisinin-based combination therapies use older, less-effective medications that can promote drug resistance and others misuse mosquito nets.

29 Jun 2011

Drug-resistant scarlet fever outbreak has infected nearly 550 people in Hong Kong

An outbreak of drug-resistant and particularly virulent strains of scarlet fever has infected nearly 550 people and killed two children in Hong Kong so far this year, about double the Chinese city's average annual total, the Associated Press reports.

29 Jun 2011

ACO criticism continues; Health exchanges 'a new goldmine'

As health care providers consider structuring accountable care organizations, the nation's employer community wants to be sure they have a place in those discussions.

29 Jun 2011

Study: Doctors turning away more insured patients

The findings, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, tracked the rates of patients who were accepted by physicians -- including those with private insurance and with Medicare.

29 Jun 2011

Voluntary medical male circumcision is a cost-effective, safe way to prevent HIV

Emmanuel Njeuhmeli, a senior biomedical prevention advisor in the USAID Office of HIV/AIDS, discusses efforts to raise awareness about male circumcision as a "cost saving and effective form of HIV prevention" in a post on USAID's "Impact Blog."

29 Jun 2011

Texas passes health program revamp; Oregon House acts to create better coordinated care

The Legislature approved and sent to the governor Monday a health care savings bill under which Texas could seek permission to redesign entirely the Medicaid and Medicare programs, and abortion-rights opponents scored several victories in the measure (Garrett, 6/27).

29 Jun 2011

Experienced North Korean aid worker says hunger crisis imminent

North Korea has significantly cut public food aid and could be heading toward a hunger crisis, said Katharina Zellweger, head of a Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation's office in Pyongyang and "one of the most experience aid workers" in the country, according to Agence France-Presse.

29 Jun 2011

G20 agriculture summit communique suggests action is missing

"The G20 agriculture ministers seem to agree: they're all for food security, as long as it doesn't cost anything," according to a post on the Center for Global Development's "Rethinking U.S. Foreign Assistance Blog."

29 Jun 2011

Annual per person health care spending hit $8,100 in 2009

National health care spending rose 23 percent between 2005 and 2009, according to a report by the National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation.

29 Jun 2011

Direct incentives for vaccination would increase rates

In its first decade, the GAVI Alliance has helped prevent the deaths of more than five million children by introducing more widespread vaccination in low-income countries, "[b]ut, going forward, the alliance is going to have to think more about getting parents to vaccinate their kids - the demand side of health - especially if it wants to repeat the huge victory of wiping out a disease" such as smallpox, Charles Kenny writes in his weekly column for Foreign Policy.

29 Jun 2011

Christie poised to sign bill that will increase costs of benefits for state employees

The New Jersey state Senate on Monday approved the bill, which will raise pension and health benefit expenses for more than 500,000 state workers. Meanwhile, in Illinois, Gov. Pat Quinn will sign today a measure to overhaul the state's workers' compensation system.

29 Jun 2011